One Good Tern Deserves Another - bird conservation

Paula Harborne, 2016 SET scholar Our speaker on 15th March was Paula Harborne who was last year’s recipient of the Southern Environmental Trust Scholarship for 2016. A

former pupil of Marlborough Girls College she spent school holidays working at Wither Hills vineyard. Working as a local girl she worked on Bluemine Island in Queen Charlotte Sound on a project to make the sanctuary there pest free.

After a gap year where she was employed in a Summer Camp in Florida USA looking after six year old children she returned to New Zealand and Lincoln University. There she commenced her studies for a degree of Bachelor of Environmental Management. Now she, at the age of 20, is in her third and final year. Shellie Collins introducing Paula

She gained work experience with Wildlife Management International, a Blenheim conservation business concentrating on the conservation of some endangered birdlife. A project of note was the work in recording the colonies of Blackfronted Terns, an endangered species, in Molesworth Station. These birds nest on a scrape of riverbed where the female lays three eggs. They have to defend these aggressively against predators including a young lady field assistant who ended her shift scratched and covered in bird poo.

SET Chairman Alan McKinnon

Attendance Wed 15 Mar. 2017 Total Membership: 49 (45 Active, 4 Honorary)

Members and Associates 25 Apologies 5 Visitors 3 On Leave 10

Rotary Club of Christchurch South District 9970

P O Box 12-243, Christchurch 8242

SERVICE ABOVE SELF

with Paula

A recent project was for the same company but in the Matakitaki Valley near Murchison checking on the nesting sites of Black Billed Gulls. The birds were banded and counted. This is another native bird subject to predators such as stoats rats and possums, as well as Black Backed Gulls, the population of which has expanded as a result of agriculture and human rubbish. These Gulls need help to survive the mounting number of predations which have resulted in the Black Billed Gulls being classified as “endangered”. We look forward to hearing from Paula again with new conservation exploits.

(Our thanks go to John W2 for the report and Doug and Anne Johns for the evening’s photographs).

Johnny Walkers’

Diamond Harbour

Every now and then, something crops up to catch one’s interest and is

scribbled down or compiled from Google. And so it was, for potato chips (as in

fish and chips) being ‘not what they used to be’; so lacking in ‘body’, of old …

We lunched at the excellent Diamond Harbour Store and Café and

agreed that their potato chips tasted very nice and that one reason

being, the fresh cooking oil. A second reason was that they were

short on ‘body’, being porous and collapsing readily when munched

and that that was because they were made from potatoes with

relatively high water to starch ratios, much of the water being

steaming off on frying, giving an open structure, so porous chip for

greater uptake of fats. Yum.

Chips of old – more solid and less fatty - were made from proper chipping potatoes with relatively more

starch, as demanded by the f&c shops.

There are hundreds of varieties of potatoes forming a continuum from waxy to floury. The choice of potato is important for a good chip, so floury potatoes - labelled baking or roasting - are best, as they have a soft, dry texture (more starch). For best chips, then 'Yukon Gold’ is the one to choose, but look also for King Edwards, Maris Piper, Romano, Desirée, Agria, and Pentland Dell. Remember too, that first- and second- early potatoes are relatively low in starch.

So there you are; the bus rides, the ferry and the rugged beauty of Diamond Harbour laced with its tended

rest areas, cemetery, sports ground, (Margaret) Stoddart Cottage, Community Centre, village centre and

excellent café; the eye of the high, the company and of course the conversations, made for a great day.

Notices

• 29 March is ‘Bring a Friend to Rotary’ night. This is the important evening of the year when we promote our

club with gaining new members in mind. The speaker is Joy Reid, TV reporter, who spoke so engagingly and

eloquently at last year’s (2016) RYLA dinner. Topic: ‘One Mother to Another’. So, Friend or indeed, Family

member.

• Committee meetings notified to the Editor for after club, 29 March: Fundraising Committee

• Robin McKinney reminded that the ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’ evening is Sat. 25 March. Guests $25 pp. Note: not $20 as previously listed. Guests will be given their envelopes with details at club on Wednesday.

Previous Notices

• Vocational Service Committee is seeking candidate/s for Pride of Workmanship Award. Nominations from our members should be directed to Dan Christophers (Chairman) or Doug Johns.

• Meals regime for club night: 1st Wednesday of the month, a self-serve Buffet.

2nd week - Roast meat 3rd - Fish and Salad 4th - Kitchen’s discretion The new charge to our regular evening meal is $18 (includes the club surcharge of $2).

Next Meeting

Mar 22 Ashley Stuart Internship in Thailand

“Duties” “On Leave”

Looking Ahead

Mar 29 Joy Reid One Mother to Another Bring a Friend to Rotary

Apr 05 Dan Christophers ‘Life and Times’

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know that the batteries are going flat?

Why do banks charge fees on ‘insufficient funds’ when they know there is not enough money?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but checks when you say the paint is wet?

Whose idea was it to put an ‘S’ in lisp?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

If you are going to be abse nt from a meeting would you please advise on the contacts below and if you have a

duty, please arrange a substitute

Inclusive

FROM TO

L Kelly 23/02/12 TBA

G Dockrill 21/06/16 TBA

B Blyth 13/04/16 TBA

M Whitehead 02/08/15 TBA

M Ireland 01/01/17 28/06/17

B Lawrence 02/08/15 TBA

E Musson 01/01’17 TBA

A Airay 08/01/17 18/03/17

S Haye 22/03/17 12/04/17

B SoutheyJensen 15/03/17

Duty 22 March 2017 29 March 2017

Cash Desk A McKinnon TBA

Cash Desk V Nossiter ditto

Reception B Wales ditto

Speaker's Host M Rickerby ditto

Grace J Chamberlain ditto

International Toast R Mackie ditto

Thanks to Speaker G Foulds ditto

Quote for the Week J McKessar ditto

Closure T Blackler ditto

Speaker Reporter Q Moss ditto

APOLOGIES – Record your apology at the Reception Desk at a prior meeting OR Email:chchsouthrotary@gmail.com before 11.00 on the Wednesday.

Last minute apologies to Mike Bruce, 022 540 1251 or Val Nossiter (339 8441). DUTIES - If you are unable to do allocated duty, it is YOUR responsibility to arrange a substituent

AND advise the President. LEAVE of ABSENCE (three weeks or more) advise the Secretary by email or in writing.

Our Club is on Facebook. You will find us at: http://www.facebook.com/RotaryClubOfChristchurchSouth